Jury finds Ryan Frederick Guilty

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Tears were shed as a Chesapeake jury handed down its verdict in the capital murder case against Ryan Frederick. Frederick was found guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter in the death of Chesapeake Police Detective Jarrod Shivers. Both Frederick's sister and a juror had tears in their eyes as the verdict was read.

The jury also found Frederick guilty of Simple Possession of Marijuana and Manufacturing for Own Use and not guilty of Using a Firearm.

The jury recommended the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the Voluntary Manslaughter charge. He was also sentenced to an additional 30 days, with a $500 fine for the marijuana charge. A judge will make the final sentencing ruling at a later date.

During their deliberations Tuesday, the jury asked to see four pieces of evidence.   They wanted Frederick's front door, the police battering ram that hit it, posters and an audio tape of an interview between Frederick and police in the back of a patrol car.

Attorneys for both sides made closing arguments Monday, then the judge gave the jury instructions for sentencing.

Prosecutors argued Frederick knew it was police at his door last January when he pulled the trigger, killing Det. Jarrod Shivers. Police were there looking for drugs, but Frederick claimed he thought the noise of police coming through the door was a break-in. Frederick also claimed his home was burglarized days before the shooting.

Special Prosecutor Richard Conway showed jurors a re-enactment picture.

"This was a case where the police had gone to great pains to make sure that whoever was in that house particularly Ryan Frederick would know that it was the police outside," said Conway.

Frederick testified police did not clearly identify themselves, but last week officers re-enacted their version of the events.

"What you heard from the witness stand from those officers (loud knocks) was nothing like what you heard from Mr. Frederick (light knocks)," reenacted Conway.

Defense Attorney James Broccoletti rebutted.

"In that battering of the door he thought it was a shotgun. It was the sound that it had," said Broccoletti.

Frederick initially told police he wasn't growing marijuana, but testified he grew marijuana for personal use.

"You have a liar right here," said Conway.

Prosecutors argued he was a dealer. Broccoletti argued the real dealer was an inmate who testified Frederick confessed to the crime.

"We saw a drug dealer in full blood in real life sitting on that witness stand," said Brocolletti.

During rebuttal, prosecutors asked jurors to look beyond the witness' past.

After the trial, Broccoletti promised to appeal in another bid to prove Frederick acted only in self-defense.  But speaking for Frederick after the trial, Broccoletti said, "He's very grateful for the jury to be able to express their sense of what the facts and circumstances were apart from all of the drama and emotion that were present in the courtroom."